Star
Barbra Streisand wanted Passer to direct
Yentl (1983) with her in the leading role, but after reading the screenplay he declined, because he thought the story was too unrealistic and told her, that audiences traditionally never accepted women masquerading as men in movies, reminding her of
Katharine Hepburn's disastrous
Christopher Strong (1933). While all of Passer's arguments were convincing, Streisand continued to develop the project and would later direct herself. Ironically, it became a big hit.